How to Write the Perfect Resume for Internships: A Complete Guide

29 Nov How to Write the Perfect Resume for Internships: A Complete Guide

In today’s competitive job market, having internship experience on your resume isn’t just a bonus—it’s a must-have. But with so many students vying for top-notch opportunities, especially during peak seasons like summer internships, how can you even secure one?

The resume stats you should know

Before we jump into crafting your perfect resume, here are three eye-opening numbers:

• • One job opening receives an average of 250 applications.
  • Recruiters spend an average of 6 to 7 seconds looking at a resume.
  • Only 2% to 3% of resumes make it through to the interview stage.

And here’s another challenge: 95% of large companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen applications—and only 25% of resumes make it to the actual recruiters!

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An Applicant Tracking System, or ATS, is an automated tool that helps determine if an application is worth reviewing. Think of it as a robot recruiter that decides whether your resume makes it to a human recruiter.

Why does this matter? If your resume isn’t ATS-friendly—if it lacks the right keywords or has formatting issues—it might not even make it past the first stage.

It’s a tight window, we know, but here’s the good news: a well-crafted, ATS-friendly resume can make all the difference!

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to create a resume that grabs attention, beats the bots, and helps you secure your dream internship.

The best format for a student resume

The format of your resume can make or break your application. Let’s cover five key considerations:

• • Length
  • Font
  • Sections
  • Spacing and margins
  • File format

Length

First and foremost, if you’re wondering how long your resume should be, one page is ideal. While you should include all essential information, it’s even more important to be concise so recruiters can easily focus on what matters most.

Font

When choosing a font for your resume, keep in mind where it’s most likely to be read.

Serif fonts like Times New Roman and Garamond are traditional and work well for printed documents. For digital resumes—which most recruiters rely on—sans-serif fonts such as Helvetica and Arial are easier to read on screens.

Whichever you choose, avoid decorative fonts at all costs. They can be hard to read and won’t be scanned well by ATS.

Sections

A good resume format is one that is easy for recruiters to navigate. When applying for internships, a student’s resume should include the following sections:

• Contact Information

Place your name, phone number, email, LinkedIn profile, and portfolio (if applicable) at the top for easy access.

• Summary

Provide a brief overview at the top of your resume that highlights what you’re looking for in an internship and what you bring to the table. 

Keep reading to find helpful examples of resume summaries for students.

• Education

List your degree, field of study, and university. If you’ve received awards or honors, you can also mention them here.

• Work Experience

Showcase internships, part-time jobs, extracurricular or volunteer work that are relevant to the role you’re applying for.

• Skills

List hard and soft skills in this section, especially those mentioned in the job description.

If you’re unsure what the difference is between hard and soft skills: the former is more technical and is gained through studying or completing training, while the latter is more behavioral.

For example, hard skills relevant to a Public Relations internship can be editing and proofreading, conducting market research, and organizing events. Meanwhile, soft skills can include communication, organization, and adaptability.

Both types are valuable to employers, so be sure to highlight the skills that match the job requirements.

• Certifications

Include any relevant certifications that you’ve received. This shows your commitment to professional development and how well you know a subject. Examples can include certifications in digital marketing, graphic design tools, or specific software programs like Adobe Suite.

• Spacing and margins

Keep your margins between 0.5 to 1 inch so it doesn’t look too cramped. Use consistent spacing between your sections as well for a clean and professional look.

• File format

Always submit your resume in PDF format unless otherwise specified. PDFs preserve your formatting and ensure it looks the same across devices.

How to tailor your resume for your dream internship

A one-size-fits-all resume doesn’t work, especially for competitive opportunities like, say, a summer internship in Barcelona. When you tailor every application, you’re able to show recruiters just how perfect you are for the role.

While spamming generic resumes may seem easier, 83% of recruiters prefer candidates who tailor their resumes for the role they’re applying for. The core of your resume can stay the same, but small adjustments can really improve your chances of getting past ATS, too.

So how can you tailor your resume for an internship? Let’s break it down to 4 manageable steps:

• Add a concise summary

A good resume summary should explain what you’re looking for and what makes you a strong candidate.

Here are some examples for students applying for specific internships:

Business entrepreneurship internship

College student with strong leadership, problem-solving skills, and project management experience from academic coursework seeking to further develop entrepreneurial skills and innovative thinking in a growing start-up company.

Summer internship abroad

Marketing student with a strong foundation in content creation and digital strategy, seeking a summer internship in Seoul to enhance digital marketing skills while gaining international insights and contributing to a forward-thinking team.

Remote information technology internship

Information Technology student with experience in programming, UX design, and quality assurance, eager to apply technical skills and gain hands-on experience in a remote internship with impactful technology projects.

• Include keywords from the job description

This is important if you want to beat ATS. Review the job posting and look for key terms such as “data analysis,” “team collaboration,” or “content creation.” Then, naturally incorporate them into your resume—but make sure they’re genuinely applicable to you.

• Showcase relevant skills

Remove skills that are not useful for the internship you’re applying for and retain important ones.

For example, if you’re applying for a Fashion internship in Paris, you might not need to mention that you’re good at accounting or engineering. Instead, highlight attention to detail, textile knowledge, and perhaps even French!

• Highlight experience that matters

These can be academic projects, volunteer work, extracurriculars, or previous internships that align with the role.

Say that you’re applying for a Graphic Design internship, your experience creating marketing materials for a school event, designing merch for a local charity, or developing social media graphics for a family-owned business can all be valuable examples.

What to put in your resume if you’re still a student

If you don’t have much work experience, that’s okay! Employers don’t expect extensive experience from students. Instead, focus on:

• • Part-time jobs
  • Volunteer work
  • Relevant coursework
  • Extracurriculars
  • Skills

The best skills to put on your resume

The most ideal skills to add on your resume depends on your preferred industry. Here are three popular internship industries and the top skills that employers in each field look for:

Finance

• • Accounting, specifically, understanding financial documents
  • Analytical thinking
  • Financial decision-making

Information Technology

• • SQL
  • Java
  • Javascript

Marketing

• • Interpersonal skills
  • Writing
  • Listening

While many of these are hard skills, soft skills shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact, over 40% of recruiters report that applicants lack soft skills. To add to that, more than half of the top 10 qualities that employers look for are also soft skills, including self-awareness, a commitment to continuous learning, and resilience.

To stand out, research both hard and soft skills relevant to your dream internship and add them into your resume.

3 bonus resume tips for students

To further elevate your resume and help you stand out, here are three simple yet effective tips just for you:

• Use action words and be consistent

Start all your bullet points with strong verbs. Avoid the overused responsible for as this doesn’t really show action. Try to stay away from passive verbs, too, like assisted or supported.

Here’s a list of commonly used verbs on resumes, and a few nicer alternatives:

Worked on

• • • • Developed
      • Implemented
      • Contributed to

Handled

• • • • Managed
      • Organized
      • Coordinated

Improved

• • • • Optimized
      • Streamlined
      • Enhanced

Led

• • • • Supervised
      • Oversaw
      • Directed

Increased

• • • • Boosted
      • Amplified
      • Expanded

• Quantify your achievements

Whenever possible, include numbers to showcase the actual results of your efforts. This makes it easier for recruiters to recognize your potential.

For example:

Instead of Handled a team to raise funds for an event, say Managed a student team that raised over $5,000 for a nonprofit event.

Instead of Helped with social media campaigns to increase engagement, say Improved social media engagement by 40% through targeted campaigns.

Instead of Participated in a project to enhance the organization’s website, say Collaborated in a project to enhance the organization’s website, increasing user engagement by 25%.

• Proofread and get feedback

Trust us when we say that a single typo can cost you your dream internship. Proofread carefully, and ask a mentor, peer, or career advisor for their thoughts.

If you’re unsure about your resume, services like Absolute Internship can provide expert guidance.

How Absolute Internship can help

Crafting a resume that helps you land your dream internship can be overwhelming. That’s where Absolute Internship comes in. Through our Onsite Internship Program, we offer personalized support to help you build a resume that stands out to international employers.

Aside from resume guidance, we offer:

• • Guaranteed international internships in your preferred industry
  • High-end housing
  • Visa assistance
  • Weekend activities in your internship destination (we have 14 locations across Europe and Asia!)
  • 24-hour onsite support
  • And more

With our support, you can focus on building your skills and gaining invaluable experience while we take care of the details.

Ready to take the next step? Join Absolute Internship and let us help you unlock exciting global opportunities. Whether it’s a Real Estate internship, a remote internship, or a summer internship in Madrid, we’ve got you covered every step of the way!